Freight container storing apparatus for cargo ship



y 5, 1970 I YOSHIHIKO SHIMADA 3,509,845

FREIGHT CONTAINER STORING APPARATUS FOR CARGO SHIP Filed Feb. 28, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 no N FIG1

May 5,1970 YOS l l lHlKO SHIMADA FREIGHT CONTAINER STORING APPARATUS FOR CARGO SHIP Filed Feb. 28, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ybl-uHlKo SHIMADA May 5, 1970 FREIGHT CONTAINER STORING APPARATUS FOR CARGO SHIP 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 28, 1968 QQE M y 1970 YOSHIHIKO SHIMADA 3,509,345

FREIGHT CONTAINER STORING APPARATUS FOR CARGO SHIP Filed Feb. 28, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

United States Patent 3,509,845 FREIGHT CONTAINER STORING APPARATUS FOR CARGO SHIP Yoshihiko Shimada, Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan, assignor to Mitsui Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, a corporation of Japan Filed Feb. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 709,133 Int. Cl. 1363b 19/18 U.S. Cl. 114202 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ship having container guides for storing containers within hatchways which extend through intermediate decks. The upper guide sections are mounted on the undersides of pivoted hatch covers at the intermediate deck levels, so that when the covers are erected, the guide sections are vertical. At least one of the covers is pivotally engaged with the intermediate deck at one end and also is pivotally engaged with a companion hatch cover at the other end. When pivoted upwardly on the one end, the other end is disengaged from the companion cover and the guide sections are in container-receiving positions, when the two covers are erected. When disengaged at the one end, the other end is raised when the companion cover is erected, and the two covers enclose the guide sections which are on their undersides at one end of the hatchway. Lower guide sections are pivoted at the 'bottom of the hold so that they may be erected into vertical registry with the upper guide sections when they are in vertical container-receiving position.

The present invention relates to a freight container storing apparatus for cargo ship, more particularly, to an apparatus which is able to store the conventional freight without using the container.

In order to store the containers in the hold, the vertical container guides are normally permanently mounted in the hold at the positions adjacent to the four corners of the container to be stored. The containers are loaded and stacked in superposed relation in the container cell formed by the four container guides. Since plurality of container guides are erected in the hold, it is diificult or impossible to store the conventional freight in the hold.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a container storing apparatus which can be altered to convert the hold for storing conventional freight.

In accordance with the present invention, the apparatus is characterized by hatch covers provided to pivot between a vertical position alongside the hatchway and a horizontal position across the hatchway, container guide sections secured to the undersides of the hatch covers so as to be in position adjacent to the four corners of the container when the hatch covers are in one vertical position, and in out-of-the-way position when the hatch covers are in another vertical position.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description.

Referring now to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of a hold in accordance with the present invention with the hatchway fully open in a position for receiving containers;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention with the hatchways partially closed by the hatch covers;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of ICC the hold in halfway step for providing full opening of the hatchway to receive conventional freight;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hold fully open for storing the conventional freight;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a hinge portion of an outer hatch cover;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a basic end of adjoining centrally-positioned hatch covers;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a part of one of the hatch covers illustrated in FIG. 8, but in a closed position;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the centrally-positioned hatch cover, showing the erection of the cover to position its associated guide section for receiver containers;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the top of the adjoining centrally-positioned hatch covers when erected for receiving containers; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the means for pivotally connecting the centrally-positioned hatch cover with its companion outer hatch cover.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, designating numeral 21 is an upper deck of the cargo ship, 22 is a second deck, 23 is a third deck, 24 is an inner bottom plate and 25 is an outer bottom plate, and there are provided hatchways 26 extending vertically through each deck respectively. A hatch coaming 28 secured along the upper edge of the hatchway 26 is covered by the conventional hatch cover 30. On the opposed transverse edges of the hatchway of the second deck 22, outer hatch covers 32 and 32a are rotatably supported by the brackets 31 and 31a in symmetrical arrangement. Since the structure of this apparatus is symmetrical in FIG. 2, only the one side structure will be described hereinafter, but the other side, if necessary, will be referred to.

As shown in FIG. 7, a hydraulic torque hinge generally designated 34 having a cylinder 33 which is rotated by pressure oil is provided between the opposed brackets 31, the hatch cover 32 is secured on the cylinder 33. Thus, the hatch cover 32 is capable of being rotated between horizontal and vertical positions by pressure oil.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, rails 35 are mounted on the longitudinal edges of the hatchway of the second deck 22 to provide runways for wheels 37 provided on the opposite sides at one (the centermost) end of the centrally-positioned hatch cover 36. The wheels 37 are rotatably mounted in recesses 38 (see FIGS. 8 and 12) on the opposite sides of the hatch cover 36, the periphery of the wheel projecting beyond the side and end edges of the hatch cover, as shown in FIG. 9. A rail piece 39 vertically movable by means of hydraulic mechanism (not shown) is provided on the inner terminal end of the rail 35 to provide flush runway with the rail 35 in the upper limit position of the rail piece 39 and to provide a recess 49 in the lower limit position. As shown in FIG. 12, a hydraulic cylinder 41 is provided in a recess 40 of the second deck 22 to be capable of being rotated in the vertical plane parallel with the longitudinal hatch coaming. The terminal end of the piston rod 42 is pivoted by pin 43 on the side plate of the hatch cover 36, the piston rod 42 being releasable from the hatch cover by removing the pin 43.

Container guide sections 45 and 46 made of angle-iron are secured to the undersides of the hatch covers 32 and 36 by means of supporting member 48, and are arranged to guide and accommodate the container C when the hatch covers are erected as described hereinafter. The outer container guide section 45 is adapted to align with a container guide section 47 secured on the inner side of the hatch coaming member 28 when the hatch cover 32 opened. The central hatch cover 36 is arranged so that the top edge of the cover, when opened, may be in flush relationship with the top edge of the hatch coaming member 28. The container guides 46 and 47 have entry guide -members 50 at the top thereof.

As shown in FIG. 14, a latch member 51 having a locking notch 52 is secured to the underside of the outer hatch cover 32. On the companion centrally-positioned cover 36, a pin 59 to be locked to the notch 52 of the latch member 51 of the hatch cover 32 is mounted between the brackets 53 and 54 on the under side of the hatch cover 36.

The structures of the hatch covers 55 and 56 of the third deck 23 are similar to those of the hatch covers 32 and 36 of the second deck 22. The container guide sections 57 and 58 secured to the underside of the hatch covers 55 and 56 are adapted to align with the upper container guide sections 45 and 46 when the hatch covers 55 and 56 are opened. In these hatch covers, the centrally positioned hatch cover 56 is provided with a bracket 60 having a hole 68 instead of above mentioned latch member 51 on the hatch cover 32, and the bracket 60 is adapted to connect with the bracket 61 of the outer hatch cover 55 by a pin inserted through the holes 68 and 69. Moreover, these hatch cover units are arranged so that each length L between the connecting point and the other end (such as the center of the wheel 37 and hydraulic torque hinge 34) in each hatch cover unit may be equal.

As shown in FIG. 2, lower terminal container guide sections 62 and 63 are pivotally mounted by hydraulic torque hinges 65 and 64 on the inner bottom plate 24. The container guide sections 62 and 63 are adapted to align with the container guide sections 57 and 58 when opened. The hydraulic torque hinge 65 is removably seated on the inner bottom plate 24 and is held to the bottom plate by a fastener stop 66 and a removable fastener stop 67.

When loading conventional freight, the hatch covers 32 and 36 are interconnected by engagement between the latch member 51 and the pin 59, and the hatch covers 55 and 56 are interconnected by inserting the pin through the holes 68 and 69 of the brackets 60 and 61. The rod 42 of the hydraulic cylinder 41 is disengaged from each of the hatch covers 36 and 56 by removing the pin 43. As shown in FIG. 10, when the hatch covers 36 and 56 are closed, the undersides 70 of the longitudinal edges of the covers are seated on the rails 35 and the wheels 37 are in the recesses 49. Thus, the covers cannot be moved. When opening the hatchway, the rail piece 39 is lifted to be in flush relationship with the rail 35. Then, pressure oil applied into the cylinder 33 of the torque hinge 34 of the hatch covers 32 and 32a so that the hatch covers may be erected. Since the hatch covers 32 and 3211 are connected with the hatch covers 36 and 36a, erecting the hatch covers 32 and 32a causes the outer ends of the hatch covers 36 and 36a to be raised with the inner end travelling horizontally outward by the rolling of the wheels 37, as shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 5, when the hatch covers 32 and 32a are erected, the hatch covers 36 and 36a are also erected along the covers 32 and 32a, thus the hatchway can be widely opened. The hatch covers 55, 55a, 56 and 56a of the third deck are erected in the same way as the above described manner. The interconnected covers thus are positioned at the outer ends of the hatchways and enclose their associated guide sections therebetween. The container guides 62 and 63 are laid down on the inner bottom plate, the hydraulic torque hinge 65 being unfastened and located in an outer position as shown in FIG. 5.

Closing operation of the hatchway begins with the hatch covers of the third deck. Pressure oil is applied into the cylinder 33 in the reverse direction to the case of opening of the hatch cover, which causes to rotate the outer hatch covers 55, 55a in the reverse direction and to move the centrally positioned covers 56 and 56a towards the central portion of the hatchway. Thus, the hatch covers can be laid down and the hatchway closed. Then, the hatch covers of the second deck 22 are closed in the same manner as the third deck.

In loading containers, the piston rod 42 of the hydraulic cylinder 41 is connected by the pin 43 to the hatch cover and the rail piece 39 is displaced to the lower position. At first, pressure oil is applied into the cylinders 41 of the second deck 22, which causes the centermost'hatch covers 36 and 36a to rotate above the axes of the wheels 37 until the hatch covers contact with the stopping member 71 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 13. During the rotation of the hatch covers 36 and 36a, the pin 59 is detached from the locking notch 52. When the hatch covers 36 and 36a are erected, the covers contact with the stopping member, as shown in FIG. 13, and then, the two centrally-positioned covers are interconnected to each other by the clamp 72. Thus, the hatch covers cannot fall. Then, the outer hatch covers 32 and 32a are erected by operation of the torque hinges 34 in the above mentioned manner.

In order to erect the hatch covers of the third deck 23, the connection by the brackets 60 and 61 are disengaged. At first, the outer hatch covers 55 and 55a are erected by operation of the torque hinges 34. Then, the central hatch covers 56 and 56a are erected by hydraulic cylinders like the cylinders 41 for the hatch covers 36, the erected hatch covers are clamped to each other in the above described manner.

For erecting the container guides 62, 62a, 63- and 63a on the inner bottom plate 24, the container guides 63 and 63a are erected by operation of the torque hinges 64. The torque hinges 65 are moved and engag d to the fastener stops 66 and held by the fastener stops 47. Then, the container guides 62 and 62a are erected by operation of the torque hinges 65. Thus, the container guides 45, 46, 57, 58, 62 and 63 are erected in vertical alignment, the container may be stored in the hold with guiding and holding by the container guides.

The operation for laying down the erected hatch covers is made in the reverse order of above-mentioned operation.

In the small hatchway, it will be understood that the apparatus of this invention may be constructed without one or both of the central hatch covers 36 and 56.

I claim:

1. In a cargo ship having intermediate decks and hatchways extending through said decks and means for storing containers in said hatchways comprising container guide sections adapted to be aligned vertically in container-receiving position adjacent the corners of the containers to be stored, said intermediate decks having hatch covers pivotally mounted for movement between horizontal hatch-covering positions and vertical hatch-opening positions, said guide sections being mounted on the underside of said covers for pivotal movement with said covers between horizontal and vertical positions, the improvement wherein said hatch covers include an outer cover adapted in its horizontal position to cover one end of said hatchway, a central cover adapted in its horizontal position to cover the central part of said hatchway, disengageable connecting means to pivotally connect the outer end of said central cover to the inner end of said outer cover, means to pivotally mount the outer end of said outer cover to said intermediate deck at one end of said hatchway, means to mount the inner end of the central cover for pivotal movement at the central portion of the hatchway when the connecting means is disengaged, and means to support the inner end of said central cover for movement across said hatchway toward said one end of the hatchway when the connecting means is engaged and said outer cover is displaced from its horizontal position to its vertical position.

2. A cargo ship according to claim 1 including means associated with said pivotal mounting means to rotate said outer cover so as to erect the guide sections associated therewith.

3. A cargo ship according to claim 1 wherein said support means comprises rails mounted on the longitudinal edges of the hatchway between the ends, said central cover having wheels at its inner end adapted to support said inner end in its movement across said hatchway.

4. A cargo ship according to claim 3 including means in said rails intermediate the ends to releasably anchor said wheels to permit rotation of said c ntral cover into vertical position in the central portion of the hatchway upon disengagement of said connecting means to position said guide sections in container-receiving positions to permit storage of a container between the guide sections respectively on the undersides of said outer and central covers.

5. A cargo ship according to claim 4 including releasable means engaging said central cover to rotate said cover upwardly on said wheels in the central portion of said hatchways.

6. A cargo ship according to claim 5 including lower guide sections mounted on said ship in registry with said guide sections in said container-receiving positions, the lower guide sections which are in registry With the guid sections on said central cover being releasably mounted.

7. In a cargo ship having at least one intermediate deck and a hatchway extending through said deck, and means for storing containers in said hatchway comprising container guide sections adapted to be disposed vertically in container-receiving position adjacent the corners of the containers to be stored, said intermediate deck having hatch covers pivotally mounted for movement between horizontal hatch-covering positions and vertical hatchopening positions, said guide sections being mounted on the undersides of said covers for pivotal movement With said covers between horizontal and vertical positions, the

improvement wherein said hatch covers include two opposed outer covers adapted in their horizontal positions to cover the opposite ends of said hatchway, two central covers between said outer covers adapted in their horizontal positions to cover the central part of said hatchway, disengagable connecting means to pivotally connect the outer end of each central cover to the inner end of the adjacent outer cover, means to pivotally mount the outer end of each outer cover at its associated end of said hatchway, means to mount the inner end of each central cover for pivotal movement at the central portion of the hatchway when said connecting means is disengaged, and means to support the inner end of each central cover for movement across said hatchway toward said associated end of the hatchway when said connecting means is engaged and the adjacent outer cover is displaced from its horizontal position to its vertical position.

8. A cargo ship according to claim 7 including a clamp cooperable with the outer ends of both said central covers to interconnect the same when said central covers are pivoted into vertical position at the central portion of the hatchway for positioning said guide sections in containerreceiving position.

9. A cargo ship according to claim 7 including means associated with the outer end of each outer cover to rotate said cover on its pivotal mounting.

10. A cargo ship according to claim 7 including means releasably engaged with the inner end of each central cover to rotate said cover on its pivotal mounting in the central portion of the hatchway.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,996,032 8/1961 MacNaught et al. 114-202 3,111,104 11/1963 Seymour et al. 11472 3,380,422 4/1968 Bachko 114-72 ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner 

